The Witcher has been forced to pause production on its second season following four positive coronavirus tests.
Four crew members tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday (7 November) and have since remained in isolation. Those who tested positive are not among the show's lead cast, Variety reports.
In response to the news, Netflix will be testing everyone involved in the show’s production and will resume filming only once they have determined it is safe to do so.
This is not the first obstacle the series has come up against in attempting to film its highly anticipated second season.
The hit fantasy series starring Henry Cavill was one of the first high-profile productions to be rocked by coronavirus after one of its new cast additions, Game of Thrones actor Kristofer Hivju, tested positive for the illness in March.
The show did not return to production until August, however, The Witcher was forced to drop a key actor due to the amended shooting schedule.
Thrue Ersted Rasmussen had already begun filming as Eskel, a fellow Witcher set to play a large part in the forthcoming season, when the new scheduling conflicts meant that he had to exit the project. The actor called the decision “heartbreaking”.
In late-September, the series’ showrunners announced that they had recast the part with actor Basil Eidenbenz, whose previous credits include The Favourite and ITV’s historical drama Victoria.
Fans received a first look at season two last month when Cavill shared images showcasing his monster hunter’s new armour on his Instagram.
The Witcher season two is expected to arrive in December. Netflix claimed that the first season, released in 2019, broke records to become its most-watched debut.
